New Delhi - Maoist rebels threatened to kill an abducted police officer Thursday unless security forces stopped their offensive in India's eastern state of West Bengal, news reports said.

Atindranath Dutta, officer-in-charge of Sankrail police station in West Midnapore district, was taken hostage by the rebels on Tuesday in an attack in which they shot dead two policemen.

The West Bengal government on Wednesday said it was ready for negotiations for Dutta's release. "If the Maoists make a specific proposal, the state government is willing to talk to them," West Bengal's top bureaucrat AM Chakraborty said.

Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao, alias Kishenji, however, told media representatives by telephone that the Maoists could not take responsibility for Dutta's safety if the security forces continued their offensive.

The forces opened fire Thursday on rebels who were expected to produce Dutta before the media in Lakhanpur village of West Midnapore, NDTV news channel reported.

The forces had followed journalists to the village, cordoned it off and began firing, Kishenji said.

"Earlier, I had assured that we would take care of him (Dutta) and will release him if our demands are met," Kishenji was quoted as saying.

"But now I can't take the responsibility as the joint forces have opened fire on our men."

Earlier in October, the rebels had abducted and beheaded another police official, Francis Enduwar, in neighbouring Jharkhand state.

Among the reported demands of the Maoists on both occasions was the release of Maoist leaders including Chhatradhar Mahato, leader of a group against police atrocities which is closely linked to the rebels and who led agitation against the government in West Bengal's Lalgrah area.

A report in the Hindustan Times newspaper said the publication had access to a compact disc acquired from the police which had clips of a Maoist kangaroo court handing down death sentences, beheaded bodies of those sentenced and Maoist leaders addressing the cadre.

The clips were shot in Lalgarh earlier in 2009, the report quoted police sources as saying.

Maoist rebels are active in 20 of India's 28 states and claim their armed rebellion is aimed at securing the rights of tribal people and rural poor.

They usually target security personnel and government installations.

At least 2,671 people - including civilians, security personnel and rebels - have been killed in incidents related to Maoist violence in India since 2006, according to Home Ministry data.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently said left-wing extremism posed the greatest internal security threat for India.

The government is currently mounting a major offensive against Maoist rebels. (dpa)